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Puppy mill dogs find forever homes

March 24, 2010 • Rescue

From: John Polis, Best Friends Animal Society, johnp@bestfriends.org

EATONTOWN, N.J. (Wednesday, March 24, 2010)—Approximately 150 cast-off puppy mill dogs from a number of Midwestern states are safe today after being delivered to local rescue groups in the New York/ New Jersey area. After thorough medical evaluations, much-needed grooming, and a lot of TLC, they eventually will be available for adoption through local shelters and rescue groups.

After a long, cross-country journey, they were delivered this morning to waiting groups here at Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown by Best Friends Animal Society, which arranged for the release and provided transport of the dogs.

In addition to Monmouth County SPCA, several other groups will be on hand to pick up the dogs and provide temporary homes for them until they are adopted: Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons, Wainscott, N.Y.; Noah’s Ark Animal Welfare Association, Ledgewood, N.J.; Save A Pet, Long Island, N.Y.; SPCA of Westchester, Inc., Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.; Tiny Treasures Rescue, Yonkers, N.Y., Second Chance Pet Adoption League, Oak Ridge, N.J.; and North Shore Animal League, Port Washington, N.Y.

Among the rescued dogs are adults that were used for breeding, adolescents and puppies, including various breeds such as cocker spaniels, Yorkies, poodles, Japanese chins, Pekingese, and Chihuahuas. Dogs like these, considered used up or unsalable by large commercial breeders, are typically killed or sold at mill dog auctions for as little as 25 cents.  Instead, these dogs will get a new chance for happy lives.

“The Monmouth County SPCA is very excited to partner with Best Friends to help save the lives of these dogs,” said Laurie Garrison, executive director, Monmouth County SPCA. “New Jersey is one of the biggest markets for puppy mill puppies.” “Once the dogs arrive,” Garrison said, “we will have our vet techs check them immediately. Our groomers will be ready to bathe them and trim their matted coats, and they will all be given warm blankets and love.  After they settle in from their long trip, we will evaluate their temperaments so we can find the best homes for them.  We anticipate that most will be available for adoption the afternoon of Monday, March 29.”

The rescue and transport of the dogs are part of Best Friends Animal Society’s Puppies Aren’t Products® national campaign PUPPIES AREN’T PRODUCTS, which also targets the retail end of the puppy mill industry through informational demonstrations at New York puppy emporiums. Since 2008, the peaceful pet store demonstrations at stores across the country have caused some stores to only offer for sale pets that come from rescue groups and shelters.

“Puppy mill dogs comprise a significant percentage of the 4-5 million pets that die in American shelters annually”, said Kelli Ohrtman, campaign specialist for Best Friends Animal Society, which funded the rescue of the dogs through its “Pup My Ride” transportation program. “The mission of Best Friends Animal Society is to bring about a time when there are no more homeless pets. It’s what the public wants and the pet trade industry must change rapidly and dramatically, as it is swiftly becoming a relic of the past.”

Numerous pet store closures and legislation banning puppy sales in various communities as well as several dozen Midwest puppy mills’ shutting down last year all seem to point to what appears to be a national trend for consumers to reject old- style pet shops that most likely are stocked by puppy mills.

People in the market for pets are voting against puppy mills by turning toward shelters or shops that solely offer pets for adoption from animal shelters and rescue groups. They would rather not purchase from a pet shop and risk supporting puppy mills–large-scale, inhumane, commercial breeding operations.

“The tide is turning,” says Elizabeth Oreck, national manager for the society’s Puppies Aren’t Products® campaign. “It’s similar to the shift of the SUV culture into a more environmentally conscious hybrid culture. Likewise, adopting a homeless animal from a shelter or buying from a store that only carries rescued animals is becoming not only the right thing to do, but also the cool thing do.”

Best Friends’ Puppies Aren’t Products® campaign educates consumers about where many pet stores get their pet inventory—factory-like commercial breeding operation where puppies and breeding parents are forced to live in squalid conditions, with little or no medical care. Although puppy mills are legal in the United States, many such breeders are not licensed and do not follow even the minimum standards of care for their dogs, who are usually confined in tiny wire cages.

UPDATE 03/26/10 : Rescued puppy mill dogs pair up to help one another recover during current Pup My Ride transport:
THE BUDDY SYSTEM

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